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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23571064">After the war</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaithewolfgirl/pseuds/Kaithewolfgirl'>Kaithewolfgirl</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Fe3H shipping oneshots [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Golden Deer Route Spoilers, M/M, tw: past sexual abuse</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 20:22:33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,009</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23571064</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaithewolfgirl/pseuds/Kaithewolfgirl</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After a continent-wide war ends, Claude is finally able to spend some time with Yuri. however, things do not go as planned</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Yuris Leclair | Yuri Leclerc/Claude von Riegan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Fe3H shipping oneshots [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1648780</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>After the war</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Tw: for referenced and discussed sexual abuse.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There was a knock at the door. </p><p> “Come in.”<br/>
A familiar purple-haired character entered the room.<br/>
Yuri Leclerc.<br/>
They had known each other since Claude’s academy days. Since the day they met, he found himself drawn to Yuri. Claude had met plenty of people in his youth with mysterious backstory’s, many of which he found rather silly. However, Claude could not resist secrets.</p><p>There was something about Yuri and the enigma of the underground city of abyss that drew Claude in. Their time at the academy had started with little flirtations. A glance here, a joke there. Claude was one of the few people to find Yuri’s crass sense of humor tolerable. Endearing even.<br/>
Eventually, it grew to kisses stolen in bushes late at night. Hand holding on the roof of the Cathedral. And more. Maybe it was because they thought alike? Their minds were their first weapon of choice. Claude may be a noble, but he fought like a rogue. Brute force alone could not stabilize either Almyra or Leicester’s alliance.</p><p> Yuri was a rogue through and through. He grew up in the streets, able to thoroughly charm fellow street people and high society alike.   The bastard managed to get himself a noble title at one point by convincing a count to adopt him. After Yuri had gotten what he wanted, namely admission to Garreg Mach's academy, he left without a trace.<br/>
Even Claude himself was impressed. He wasn’t sure how he would pull that off in his position. Nobles weren’t typically in the business of scooping young ruffians off the street. </p><p>Claude never thought that anything would happen to the thousand year old monastery. He had been getting bored with the place.</p><p>Then Adrestia attacked.<br/>
Utter chaos enveloped Fodlan for the next five years. The Leicester alliance has been divided, brought to its knees, but had somehow pulled through.</p><p>The task of being a ruler could be isolating and thankless. There was comfort in having Yuri around. Someone who wouldn’t judge even the most dastardly of his schemes. Even just someone to bounce ideas off of.<br/>
Nonetheless, the business of putting the continent of Fodlan back together again was not an easy task. With the affairs of the Leicester alliance in order, Claude had abdicated its leadership. He wanted to return to his homeland of Almyra, which had its own affairs in need of attention.<br/>
This allowed Claude to enjoy some time to himself.</p><p>Time alone with Yuri had been scant since the war ended, but they figured now that things had settled down it was time for a date.Claude had returned from traveling only yesterday and was immensely grateful for some time to relax.<br/>
Yuri was slumped over a bit with dark circles under his eyes. Claude motioned for Yuri to sit next to him on the red and gold sofa next to the bed.<br/>
He flopped down next to him, leaning his head on Claude's shoulder. Claude wrapped his arm around Yuri’s shoulders and pulled him closer. Yuri relaxed in Claude’s hold</p><p>“So, how’s life treating you?” Claude asked him.<br/>
“Hmm...”He groaned.  “The usual. One of my goons took off with something of mine, my right-hand woman’s gone missing, and a young noble I’ve done business with is sticking her nose where it ought not to go.”<br/>
“Sounds like business as usual.” Claude laughed. He ran his hand through Yuris’ lavender hair.<br/>
“Ugh.” Yuri nestled his head deeper into Claude’s’ neck.<br/>
Claude kissed his forehead softly.<br/>
They sat there on the sofa for several moments, taking time to enjoy the presence of the other.<br/>
Yuri eventually turned to Claude and kissed his lips. For once there was no fear of a teacher or subordinate walking in on them. Claude leaned into the kiss, feeling his cheeks flush with heat.</p><p> Yuri growled into his mouth and pressed harder into the kiss. Before Claude knew it his shirt was off and Yuri was straddling him.<br/>
Pale hands and graceful fingers tugged at the wisps of hair on his chest. Calloused palms groped belly while Yuri tested Claude’s mouth with the smallest hint of teeth.<br/>
Warmth spread along Claude's body and pooled in his gut. A breathy sigh escaped his lips.<br/>
Yuri got up and pulled Claude over to his four poster bed. This was finally happening.<br/>
“Enthusiastic, aren’t we.” Claude mused affectionately.</p><p> The moment Claude sat down on the bed Yuri was on top of him. Claude was left breathless as Yuri tugged down his pants, leaving him only in his smallclothes.<br/>
Yuri was fully clothed and damn if that wasn’t doing something for Claude. A problem he could fix.<br/>
Claude grabbed Yuri’s shoulders and pulled him on top of him. His sun kissed fingers grabbed the hem of Yuri’s tunic and yanked it over his head.<br/>
Claude lay his hands on the back of Yuri's legs and felt him freeze.</p><p> It didn’t seem like Yuri to be nervous. He had never hesitated previously. On the other hand, they hadn't tried to go this far before.<br/>
“You alright?” Claude asked him.<br/>
“Fine.” Yuri replied. “Why wouldn’t I be?”<br/>
“You look a little pale there.”<br/>
“I’ve had a lot to deal with lately.” Yuri sighed. “Probably just work stuff.”<br/>
“You sure? You tensed up just now.” Claude frowned.<br/>
“I’m a bit out of practice I suppose.”<br/>
“if you say so. If something's on your mind, let me know.”<br/>
Huh.<br/>
Claude continued, being more careful this time. Gently, he caressed Yuri’s back, eliciting a satisfied hum.<br/>
Yuri in turn nipped at his neck. The sensation made Claude shiver. Just the way he liked it. Yuri moved from his neck to his stubbly chin. </p><p> The heat returned to Yuri. Claude slid his hands to the belt of his pants. He ran his fingers under the hem of his smallclothes and fingered the head he found. A small bead of moisture dotted Claude's finger.</p><p>“Just a moment.” Yuri undressed, yanking off his pants and smallclothes in one graceful movement.<br/>
Come to think of it, Claude hadn’t seen Yuri in the nude before. His dick, already half-hard, was circled by dark curls of hair. Claude continued to stroke him while kissing his neck. Lusty sighs turned to low moans of pleasure.<br/>
Yuri sat up and moved from Claude’s face to his belly. Claude felt breath against his abdomen and crotch as his smallclothes were yanked to his feet.</p><p>Yuri pushed him off and dropped down to kneel between his thighs. Lips pulled at the sensitive skin of this thighs before Yuri decided to return to his chest. Hands ran through Claude’s chest hair, giving his skin goosebumps.<br/>
“Yuri-“He muttered. He wrapped his arms around Yuri’s back.<br/>
Yuri moved from his chest to play with his nipples. The sensation made Claude's breath hitch.<br/>
“Keeping up there?” Yuri flashed a grin at him.<br/>
“Is that a challenge?” Claude replied. He sat up<br/>
Yuri chuckled and moved to meet his lips once again.<br/>
Tongues met. Claude felt Yuri shivering. But the purple-haired man continued to press him. Guess he was just getting into the moment.<br/>
Both were starting to sweat. He could feel Yuri’s heart pounding through his chest. Well, his heart was starting to pound too.<br/>
Claude moved a hand to caress Yuri’s neck.</p><p> A blunt impact hit him square in the nose. Stars flashed at the back of Claudes’ eyes. Yuri had slapped him.</p><p>Claude cursed sharply in Almyran.<br/>
“Hey, ow!” </p><p> “Hey I'm sorry, I'm-“ Yuri muttered.<br/>
Claude shifted toward Yuri. He recoiled, like a cornered animal. Now, he trembled. </p><p> He knew something was off.<br/>
“It’s alright. Do you feel ok?”</p><p> Yuri did not speak. </p><p>It reminded Claude of one of his mother's soldiers. Same look, white as a sheet. The only thing the others could do was keep an eye on him until it passed.<br/>
This sort of thing was not uncommon for soldiers. They had survived a five years’ war after all. But Claude had a hunch that was not the issue.<br/>
“Hey, we’re safe, we’re ok.” Claude softened his voice. “Just focus on your breathing.”<br/>
Eventually the hyperventilating slowed down.<br/>
Claude got up and fished around the front of his room for his tea set.<br/>
“Is the Seiros blend ok for you?”<br/>
Yuri looked up from his knees and nodded.<br/>
Several minutes later the two of them were sitting in their smallclothes, with steaming cups of tea in hand.<br/>
Yuri wasn’t shy about the fact that he was a whore’s son. Much like Claude, he deeply loved his mother. Coupled with the way he spoke about nobles, Claude had his suspicions.<br/>
Claude reached forward and put a hand on Yuri's back. This time, Yuri relaxed a bit.<br/>
“have you been doing alright since the war ended?” Claude asked him.</p><p> “I’ve certainly been worse.” Yuri replied, a thin smile flashing across his face.</p><p>Claude knew a secret when he saw one.   He rubbed circles around Yuri’s’ back. “So, what's up?” asked Claude. “You looked like something was about to eat you.” </p><p>Lavender eyes studied Claude, sizing him up. “I just-. I don’t know.”<br/>
“We’ve all done things we’re not proud of. Especially during the war. I’m certainly no angel, yeah?”</p><p> Yuri nodded.</p><p> “You of all people know what I’m like. But we’re friends, lovers. I would hope you could tell me what’s bothering you.” Claude lowered his voice.<br/>
Yuri was silent for a minute.</p><p>“Did someone hurt you?” asked Claude.<br/>
“Lots of people have hurt me. It’s a hazard of my occupation.” </p><p>Claude cocked an eyebrow.<br/>
“I guess I can't hide anything from you, now can I.” Yuri let out a sigh. He ran his left hand through his hair.<br/>
“If you don’t want to talk about it, I won’t make you.”</p><p> “You seem to be on to me. Yeah, it’s no secret I’ve slept with people to get what I want. But those were the cards I had to play, and play them I did.” Yuri shrugged.<br/>
“Makes sense. You do what you have to. No shame in that. “Claude shook his head.</p><p> Yuri’s eyes flashed. “Claude, I’ve killed people. The killings that landed me in Abyss are something I did tell you about.”<br/>
“I never said killing people is ok.” Claude's eyes shifted to the side. “Look, I don’t care if you’ve done Fodlan and Almyra put together. You did what you needed to, and here you are.”</p><p> “You can say that. I’ve licked a lot of noble's boots. There’s no dignity in that.”<br/>
“Yuri…” Claude murmured. His face darkened.<br/>
“It’s a common past time for nobles to see the opera. It’s a sort of club, a social gathering. There were all sorts of business deals made, laws negotiated, alliances forged. Also a cesspit of betrayal and backstabbing. Naturally, it was a place I gravitated towards. That’s how I got in that mess with the Varley’s.”<br/>
With a deep breath, Yuri continued.<br/>
“It was also an opportunity for the nobility to compare the size of their dicks. See who could shell out the most gold. Boast over who could fund the productions. See who could win the love of the opera stars. If you would call it that. The capital was swarming with nobles, competing for only so many singers. If they couldn’t have this or that songstress-“<br/>
He swallowed.<br/>
“I learned to sing for them. They would compromise. With me. A feeble imitator of talented performers.” Yuri’s hands were in his lap, shaking slightly.</p><p> </p><p> “That’s how I got into Garreg Mach’s academy. Count Rowe saw me and wanted me for himself. Ugh. I washed my hands of the lecherous bastard first chance I got.”<br/>
Claude moved his hand from Yuri’s back to his shoulder.<br/>
“I’ll be honest, I’ve never had this, uh, happen before. Yeah, I’ve slept with people for fun but I’m usually the one in charge, so to speak.” Yuri explained.</p><p> “Oh. Sorry about that. I consider myself to be a naturally passionate lover.” Claude said.<br/>
“No, don’t be sorry. I liked it, at first.” Yuri tried to smile. “It’s very you.”</p><p>“I can’t imagine.” Claude began. “I’ve dealt with nobles, but nothing beyond my charming smile and promise of some benefit. I can barely stand their presence, much less having them plug my holes.<br/>
Yuri sat up, a twinkle shining in his large eyes. “You haven’t told me much about your time before Garreg Mach either. Come on. Spill it.”<br/>
“Opportunistic, aren’t you.” Claude chuckled. “Well, I told you I’m part Almyran.”<br/>
“Go on.” A note of confidence had returned to Yuri’s voice.<br/>
“And that I’m part of its nobility.”<br/>
“Yes.” Yuri smirked.<br/>
“Both Fodlan and Almyra are weird about foreigners. We’re beasts to Fodlan and cowards to Almyra.” Claude began. “I came to Fodlan to see its people with my own eyes. I needed a new perspective. A way to break down the prejudices of both my homelands. Neither place treats a halfie very well.”<br/>
“You could have come hung out in Abyss with me. You would have fit right in.” Yuri said to him. Claude playfully cuffed Yuri’s cheek in response.</p><p> “Before the war, the Leicester alliance wasn’t what you would call stable. Do you remember Lorenz from the academy? My hand maaaay have slipped over his father’s morning coffee. From what I heard, his bowels erupted continuously for three straight days. During which he missed an important policy meeting where he would have certainly opposed a law my grandfather passed.”</p><p> “That’s hilarious!” Yuri laughed. “That’s not dastardly in the slightest. It’s just business as usual.”</p><p> “Yuri, you hung around me during the war. You know what I’m like. There's way worse. A count was giving me and my grandpa some grief. I took his wife hostage. Threatened to kill her. I would have gone through with it if he hadn’t relented at the last moment. ”</p><p> “That is pretty awful, getting an innocent party involved. And over a petty political squabble.” Yuri took a hand out of his lap and returned Claude’s’ one-armed embrace.<br/>
“Don’t get me wrong, this woman was a piece of work. But she didn’t think me dangerous. Which came to bite her.”<br/>
“You are a softie, Claude. I don’t think you would have killed that woman.” Yuri said.<br/>
“Just because I don’t like it doesn’t mean I won’t act in a pinch.” He replied.<br/>
Claude thought for another minute.<br/>
“do you know where I got money in a pinch?” asked Claude. “you see, the Leicester alliance is a government of former merchants. There was this one noble from Faergus. We happened to get a loan from her and she was the last of her lineage. She was out on her own one night, so we killed her. Didn’t have to repay the loan. With Adrestia attacking we certainly needed it.”<br/>
Sadness flashed briefly across Claudes’ face.</p><p> “That is pretty horrible actually.” Yuri lamented.” I at least don’t kill the people I’ve swindled.</p><p> Claude continued, “its harder to do business with people when they find out you’re a foreigner. You have to make up for it somehow. At the very least I had my noble connections. People in Almyra and Fodlan who I could rely on. Honestly I've never seen nobles as more moral than common people. If anything, they have the resources to do a lot more harm. Is the greedy noble who overtaxes his serfs any different from the ragamuffin who pickpockets? He hurts far more people, if anything.” </p><p> “Good point.” Yuri replied. “Still doesn’t mean I’m not a terrible person. Not that I have any sympathy for those wretched nobles.”</p><p>Yuris’ voice lowered.</p><p> “Nobles and street rats, in the same place. It makes sense in a way. I had a deal with one of them. An evening together, and nothing more. The moment I arrived he locked the door and choked me. I thought he would strangle me to death while he was doing me. It wasn’t until the early hours of the morning he let me go. Oh and don’t believe for a second it was just the men. There was a court sorceress who took quite a liking to me. Turns out she really really liked magic. The lightning scars on my backside aren’t from the war. And even the normal ones. The way they looked at me like a roast to be consumed…”</p><p> “I’m sorry you had to endure that.” that was all Claude could say.<br/>
A beat.<br/>
“Eventually I got sick. Must have been punishment from the goddess. It started several days after I had been at a party. My back ached. It hurt to sit down. Hard to mingle in high society if you’re running to the bathroom every 15 minutes. Someone who owed me a favour had a doctor in their debt. They made me go when the pain reached my sides. This doctor told me she had never seen a man sick with what I had. Hmmm, I met Count Rowe shortly after. It probably factored into my position to leave with him.”</p><p> “Yuri, the goddess doesn’t punish anyone for sleeping around too much. If anything she should favour you for the people you’ve helped. You’re not as selfish as you pretend to be.<br/>
On the other hand, I don’t believe in the goddess.”<br/>
Claude paused, then added. “In Almyra, we are, hmm, more open about such matters. You probably got sick because your partners were sloppy, not from any sort of divine interference. My Mom got one when she was newly married. No fun to hear about when you are thirteen and she insists on having a certain talk with you. A cautionary tale.”</p><p>“At least Count Rowe didn’t play any tricks on me. He was blunt about what he wanted. Even when I..-“</p><p> “Hey, don’t cry.”<br/>
Yuri blinked and found his eyes felt wet.<br/>
Claude brushed his fingers under Yuri’s eyes.<br/>
Yuri sniffed. “It’s ok. I'm alright.”<br/>
He hugged Claude and buried his face in his chest.</p><p> “Claude?” He asked. “May I stay the night?”<br/>
” sure. Stay as long as you need to.” he replied.</p>
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